Instructions

Position feet under foot pad and lie supine on flat or incline
bench. Position dumbbells straight over shoulders.

Execution

Raise torso from bench as high as possible by bending waist
and hips. Keep weight positioned above shoulders. Achieve near
upright posture (hip flexibility, incline, and initial hip position
permitting). Return to original lying posture with back of shoulders,
contacting padded incline board. Repeat.

Comments

Keep weight above shoulders throughout movement. Incline
can also be elevated to increase resistance. If upper back does
not come completely down at end of movement, abdominal muscles
may only be isometrically
involved in exercise. Pectineus, Adductor Longus, and Brevis
do not assist in hip flexion since hips are already initially
bent. Knee flexors may be involved as stabilizers if incline
is steep and no calf support is used. Incline bench should allow
for significant bend in hip as shown. Decline benches designed
for chest exercises generally do not offer this positioning.
Flexible
hip flexors are required if bench does not provide for fixed
hip flexion. See Spot
Reduction Myth. Also see Dangerous
Exercise Essay.